The Legal 500 Hall of Fame highlights individuals who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence. The Hall of Fame highlights, to clients, the law firm partners who are at the pinnacle of the profession. In Europe, Middle East and Africa, the criteria for entry is to have been recognised by The Legal 500 as one of the elite leading lawyers for seven consecutive years. These partners are highlighted below and throughout the editorial.
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Poland > Commercial, corporate and M&A > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

Next generation lawyers

Find out which law firms are representing which Commercial, corporate and M&A clients in Poland using The Legal 500's new comprehensive database of law firm/client relationships. Instantly search over 925,000 relationships, including over 83,000 Fortune 500, 46,000 FTSE350 and 13,000 DAX 30 relationships globally. Access is free for in-house lawyers, and by subscription for law firms. For more information, contact david.burgess@legal500.com.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLPâs department specialises in public M&A, private equity deals and corporate transactions for financial institutions. PaweĆ Rymarz, who has âa high level of commitment and great in-depth knowledgeâ, and PaweĆ Zdort advised UniCredit on the disposal of a 33% stake in Bank Pekao to PZU and Polski Fundusz Rozwoju. Other work included assisting Lone Star Fund with its PLN9.2bn acquisition of Xella Group from PAI Partners. Ćukasz GasiĆski, Marcin ChyliĆski and Piotr Tomaszewski are also recommended. RafaĆ Zwierz joined CMS in February 2018.

White & Case M. Studniarek i WspĂłlnicy - Kancelaria Prawna sp.k.âs team counts major energy and natural resources as well as private equity players among its clients, and handles complex cross-border M&A. Practice head Marcin Studniarek and Aneta Hajska, with support from Bartosz Smardzewski, advised Mid Europa Partners on its sale of Zabka Polska; with support from Jakub GubaĆski, the duo assisted Polska Grupa Energetyczna with its PLN4.2bn acquisition of a stake in EDF Polska from EDF. Piotr Szelenbaum joined SPCG sp.k..

Allen & Overy, A. Pedzich sp. k.âs group handles cross-border transactions for a range of financial institutions, international corporations and private equity funds. Practice head JarosĆaw Iwanicki and senior associate Tomasz CieÄwierz advised Asahi Group on its âŹ7.3bn acquisition of the former SABMiller businesses from AB InBev. Senior associate Anna OsiĆska is also recommended. Jacek Michalski left to join Wolf Theiss.

CMSâ Dariusz Greszta, who has âimpressive experience, confidence, knowledge and skillsâ, assisted China Everbright International with its âŹ123m acquisition of Novago from Abris Capital Partners. Jakub Marcinkowski advised Mid Europa Partners on its sale of Ć»abka Polska to funds advised by CVC Capital Partners. Senior associate Julita Mazurkiewicz is âproactive and thoughtfulâ; BĆaĆŒej ZagĂłrski, who was promoted to the partnership in May 2018, is also recommended. Marek Sawicki heads the practice. RafaĆ Zwierz was a new arrival from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in February 2018.

Dentonsâ group is prominent in the energy sector as well as acting for private equity funds, financial institutions and manufacturers. The team is led by Piotr Dulewicz, who together with PaweĆ Grabowski handled EDFâs âŹ1bn sale of Polish energy assets to Polska Grupa Energetyczna. Senior associate MichaĆ Wasiak is another name to note.

WĆadek Rzycki heads K&L Gates LLPâs group, which counts Nordea Bank and GK Immobile among its clients. MichaĆ PawĆowski and counsel RafaĆ WoĆșniak joined from CMS, and together with Andrzej Mikosz finalised the transfer of shares between the principal shareholders of Enter Air. Of counsel MichaĆ Petz is also recommended. Minerals Mining Group is a new client.

âImpeccable serviceâ and ârapid response timesâ are what define Linklatersâ âhigh-qualityâ team, which advises foreign investors on the Polish aspects of cross-border corporate transactions. Daniel Cousens, supported by managing associate Klaudia KrĂłlak, acted for Gategroup on its sale of the EuroShop chain to LagardĂšre Travel Retail. Tomasz Zorawski advised Alliance Automotive Group on its acquisition of a 51% stake in Groupauto Polska. Marcin Schulz, who was made up to partner in 2018 is another name to note.

NDI Autostrada, Energizer, Amicus Therapeutics, Cathay Pacific Airways and XL Catlin are among Norton Rose Fulbrightâs new client wins. PaweĆ Bajno, with support from senior associate Jan Grochowicz and of counsels Tomasz Rogalski and Piotr Milczarek, led advice to Fortum on the sale of Duon Dystrybucja to Infracapital. Piotr Strawa and âcommercial and pragmaticâ senior associate Agnieszka Braciszewska are also noted.

Gide Loyrette Nouelâs team provides âan outstanding level of serviceâ, and includes âextremely competent, solution-oriented problem-solversâ such as practice head Dariusz Tokarczuk and senior associate Edyta Zalewska. The group advised Polski Fundusz Rozwoju, which acted alongside PZU, on the âŹ2.7bn acquisition of a 33% stake in Bank Pekao from UniCredit. Mateusz Chmielewski moved to an in-house position in November 2017.

In addition to providing âanalytical and pragmatic advice, in-depth knowledge, quick response times and strong team workâ, Noerrâs group âcares deeply about the client, establishes a positive dialogue and tries to understand the issue in a wider contextâ. Key contacts include Arkadiusz RumiĆski, Jakub Lerner, Witold DaniĆowicz, RadosĆaw Biedecki and Ludomir Biedecki.

Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezakâs group fields lawyers who are âknowledgeable about the law, efficient and highly competentâ. Group leader Robert GawaĆkiewicz advised Agora on its co-operation with Discovery Polska. Krzysztof Pawlisz and senior associate Andrzej Motyka make âa great team â with a practical approach and a good understanding of clientsâ goalsâ; they acted for Solaris Bus & Coach on its joint venture with Stadler.

At WKB Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr, Agnieszka WierciĆska-KruĆŒewska, together with counsel Anna Wojciechowska, advised Marquard Media Polska on its acquisition of Papilotâs remaining share capital from G7 Media. Co-head Jakub JÄdrzejak acted for Coders Center on the disposal of shares to SoftServe. Co-head Andrzej WierciĆski and Ben Davey are also recommended. Enea, PZU and PKO Bank Polski are among new client wins.

Wardynski & Partnersâ âreliable, committed and effectiveâ team is âalways on top of thingsâ. It advised GIC Private on its âŹ2.4bn acquisition of shares in P3 Group, and counts Agencja Rozwoju PrzemysĆu among its other clients. Group leaders Izabela ZieliĆska-BarĆoĆŒek and PaweĆ CieÄwierz are recommended, as are Krzysztof Libiszewski and Anna DÄ browska. MichaĆ GliĆski, MichaĆ Wons and Dominik WaĆkowski made partner.

Krassowskiâs clients include Bioton, Multikino and Lux Med. Practice head Bartosz Krassowski advised Paged on the acquisition of a 70% stake in Forbis Group, and assisted Systemics-PAB with its acquisition of Commsquare BVBA. Andrzej Chrzanowski is also recommended.

Magnusson - Kancelaria Prawniczaâs Artur Swirtun led a team advising Teknos Group on its acquisition of Feidal Coatingsâ industrial coatings business, while practice head Tomasz Rysiak assisted Verizon Communications with the Polish aspects of its purchase of Fleematics Group. Andrzej Tokaj is another name to note.

Schoenherr Polandâs group houses âgood managers and problem-solvers who ensure projects are never roadblocked by legal issuesâ. Katarzyna Terlecka, who is recommended alongside PaweĆ Halwa, advised Mann+Hummel on the restructuring of its Polish companies following its acquisition of Affinia Group.

Mid-market transactions form a substantial proportion of instructions for Wierzbowski Eversheds Sutherlandâs team, which counts Fitness World, Rolls-Royce and Ryanair among its clients. Practice head Ewa Szlachetka handled the acquisition of a majority stake in Agrowill for Baltic Champs Group. Of counsel Krzysztof Feluch is also noted.

Maruta Wachta sp. j.âs âdistinctiveâ team is âa versatile collaborator in a challenging marketâ for technology and digital companies. Daniel Jastrun, who âacts as a real team memberâ, and âcreative, engaging, open-minded and ambitiousâ senior associate Aleksandra Polak advised Delivery Hero Poland on its sale of a 51% stake to AmRest.

Radzikowski, Szubielska i WspĂłlnicy sp.k.âs group assisted LagardĂšre Duty Free with the acquisition of two duty-free store operators. Gabriel Wujek led a team advising the shareholders of Multimedia Polska on its acquisition by UPC Polska. WĆodzimierz Radzikowski heads the practice, which also includes Dariusz Michalski.

SSW Spaczynski Szczepaniak i WspĂłlnicyâs âwell-runâ practice houses lawyers with âexcellent soft and hard skillsâ and âan entrepreneurial approachâ. PaweĆ Chyb assisted City Parking Group with the acquisition of a company created through a division of SysteMEG. Wojciech Szczepaniak is another name to note.

Taylor Wessing LLPâs group is led by âskilled, well-informed negotiatorâ Olav Nemling, who has âan excellent network of contactsâ. The team advised OpenX Software on its acquisition of Mezzobit Poland, and handled the Polish aspects of a divestment by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. GEP Global Energy Partners is also a client.

WiewiĂłrski Legalâs âprofessionalâ team, which includes the âhighly experienced, helpful and attentiveâ Agnieszka Woldan-WaĆeczek and Marek WiewiĂłrski, provides âexceptional performance, superb quality and agilityâ, as well as âunmatched industry knowledgeâ. Sontsta, ProFS and Axiom are clients.

Ron Given and senior associate Dariusz Harbaty are the key contacts at Wolf Theiss. Highlights included assisting PGE with its sale of Exatel to the Polish State Treasury.

Interview with...

Law firm partners and practice heads explain how their firms are adapting to clients' changing needs

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Kochanski Zieba & Partners (KZP) advised Groupe Beneteau (France), one of the two largest sailing and power boat manufacturers globally, on its transaction with Delphia Yachts â Polandâs leading boatbuilder. As a result of this transaction, the rights to sailing and power boat designs, and the building and marketing activities of the Delphia and Maxi Yacht brands were acquired.

As an employer it is vital that you are informed on new labour law related issues that could negatively affect your organisation. In this legal insights we explore a number of these important legal points. read more...

By its
judgment dated 19 June 2015 entered in the case brought by Jan Rokita against
Konrad Kornatowski (former Police Commander in Chief), the Regional Court in
Warsaw allowed the claim and rendered unenforceable the 2009 judgment of the
Court of Appeal ordering Jan Rokita to make a statement of apology to Konrad
Kornatowski in Dziennik newspaper.

On 13 August 2015, the Court of Appeal in Warsaw dismissed in its
entirety an action brought by the General Inspectorate for Road Transport
against Robert FeluĆ and Grzegorz Jankowski for publication of a correction to
the press release entitled âLibacja inspektorĂłw
od radarĂłw â. The article was published in âFakt Gazeta Codziennaâ on 27
September 2013.

On 26 June 2015, the Regional Court in Warsaw dismissed in its entirety
a claim filed by Katarzyna Tusk against Ringier Axel Springer Polska (RASP) represented
by KochaĆski ZiÄba Rapala & Partners Law Firm.

On 1 October
2015, the Court of Appeal in WarsawÂ
reversed the judgment of the Regional Court in Warsaw announced on 2 February
2015 in the case brought by Marek Falenta against MichaĆ WodziĆski (the former
editor of Fakt.pl) and dismissed the action for publication, on the fakt.pl portal,
of corrections to the following press articles: âTak ĆŒyje kelner od afery
taĆmowejâ (âThis Is How the Tape Scandal Waiter
Livesâ), âTak âKrĂłl wÄglaâ chciaĆ obaliÄ Tuska?â (âIs This How the âCoal Kingâ
Wanted to Overthrow Tusk?â), âWÄglowy krĂłl: jakie ma haki na premiera?â (âThe
Coal King: What Does He Have on the Prime Minister?â), âAdwokat Falenty z
pluskwÄ w teczce?â (âFalentaâs Lawyer With a Bug in His Briefcase?â), âNowa
hipoteza: Trio frustratĂłw stoi za taĆmamiâ (âThe New Hypothesis:Â Thereâs a Trio of Frustrated People Behind
the Tapesâ), âTak mieszka krĂłl wÄgla od afery taĆmowejâ (âThis Is How the Tape
Scandal Coal King Livesâ).

As the modern business services market continues to experience explosive growth in Poland, it is worth keeping in mind the legal issues surrounding practices related to monitoring of employees. The line between lawful and unlawful monitoring practices is at times unclear, and issues of personal data protection also must be kept in mind.

Personal data protection generates a largeÂ number of difficulties in the day-to-day activityÂ of service centres. This results from the complicatedÂ processes surrounding the processingÂ of personal data in international corporationsÂ and the unique nature of the BPO/SSC industry,
but also from the restrictive requirementsÂ of Polish law regarding personal data.Â

New minimum wage act sets lowest hourly remuneration for workers at Euro
8.50 from 1 January 2015. This regulation will have crucial impact on
undertakings from other countries providing their services in Germany.
Foreign employers will have to comply with the new law and pay their
employees staying in Germany at least Euro 8.50 per hour.Â

Azmi
& Associates is pleased to announce the appointment of Sharifah Sazita Syed
Hamzah as its new partner of the Firmâs Infrastructure, PPP and Project Finance
(IPPF) Practice Group, in line with the Firmâs growth strategy and continued
expansion.

Presidential Decree 88/18 came into force on 6 April and establishes the rules for the organization and
operation of the Unidades de ContrataĂ§ĂŁo PĂșblica [Public Procurement Units] (âUCPâ). These Units will
intervene at the stages of formation and management of projects and contracts executed by Entidades
PĂșblicas Contratantes [Public Contracting Entities] (âEPCâ), i.e., public entities (and state-owned companies)
qualified as such in the Public Contracts Act.